"If society be formed, by the communication of ideas and sentiments, speech, is, undoubtedly, its most essential and most graceful band, being, at once, the pencil of the mind, the image of its operations, and, the interpreter of the heart."

— Trusler, John (1735-1820)


Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed for J. Dodsley
Date
1766
Metaphor
"If society be formed, by the communication of ideas and sentiments, speech, is, undoubtedly, its most essential and most graceful band, being, at once, the pencil of the mind, the image of its operations, and, the interpreter of the heart."
Metaphor in Context
If society be formed, by the communication of ideas and sentiments, speech, is, undoubtedly, its most essential and most graceful band, being, at once, the pencil of the mind, the image of its operations, and, the interpreter of the heart. The more, we go abroad, among men, the more, we perceive, that language, is the true seasoning of every delight. When all things else fail, or, when, through age, we have no other enjoyment, that of conversation, will furnish amusement in our latter hours, and, will, at that time, grow more and more satisfactory; as it will, in some measure, make up for the want of those pleasures, we are incapable of receiving. In all times, and, on all occasions, speech is delightful: there can be no true happiness, without the joys of the mind; no good fortune, that we do not long to make known; no secret, we do not wish to communicate; no tender sentiment, we are not anxious to declare; no system, we do not thirst to unfold; no evil, we are not eager to complain of; no comfort, without the sympathetic breathings of friendship; no reputation, without the voice of renown; in a word, nothing, without the aid of language, at least, nothing, which can satisfy our understandings, or, flatter our inclinations. Who then would be so indolent, as, to pay no attention to the graces, or, so wanting, as, to disregard the power of one faculty, which gives lustre to every other?
(I, pp. 7-9)
Categories
Provenance
Reading
Citation
Credited as being the first thesaurus in English. 4 entries in the ESTC (1766, 1776, 1783, 1795).

See John Trusler, The Difference, Between Words, Esteemed Synonymous: in the English Language; and, the Proper Choice of them Determined: Together with, so much of Abbé Girard's Treatise, on this Subject, as Would Agree, with our Mode of Expression, 2 vols. (London: Printed for J. Dodsley, 1766). <Vol. I, Link to ECCO-TCP><Vol. II, Link to ECCO-TCP>
Date of Entry
08/15/2013

The Mind is a Metaphor is authored by Brad Pasanek, Assistant Professor of English, University of Virginia.